2026 NFL Mock Draft: Will Fernando Mendoza Be Lone QB Chosen In First Spherical?

[ad_1] The NFL has lengthy been a copycat league, so anticipate different groups to copy the methods and personnel that powered the Patriots and Seattle Seahawks to Tremendous Bowl LX. One of the crucial apparent commonalities between this yr’s Tremendous Bowl contributors was the standard of their respective secondaries.

The 2026 NFL Draft just isn't as top-heavy as final yr, however I just like the expertise and depth of its defensive backs with seven projected on this up to date first-round mock draft, my first because the order and eligible participant pool have been finalized.

1. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14): Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Incoming head coach Klint Kubiak was certainly lured to Las Vegas by the chance to land the consensus prime quarterback of this class. In contrast to latest No. 1 total alternatives, Mendoza doesn't essentially have to begin instantly. The Raiders, after all, nonetheless have veteran Geno Smith, who, like Mendoza, is a clear schematic slot in Kubiak’s offense. Smith’s presence ought to permit Kubiak and the Raiders the more and more uncommon alternative to actually put together Mendoza for the NFL, fairly than rush him onto the sector. The Heisman Trophy winner and nationwide champion has the prototypical construct, all of the intangibles and sufficient bodily traits to finally grow to be a star within the NFL.

2. New York Jets (3-14): Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State Any probability that the Raiders would transfer out of the primary decide or take anybody aside from Mendoza seemingly ended as soon as Kubiak agreed to grow to be head coach. Whereas maybe disappointing for Jets followers, it does present normal supervisor Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn with loads of discover that their finest probability at discovering lifelike competitors for Justin Fields might be by means of free company or buying and selling for a veteran. Mougey has made daring trades earlier than, after all, peddling the Jets’ most impactful defenders — Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams — in a November hearth sale. In a category comparatively missing in top-end expertise, Reese is one in all a handful of the few true elite abilities, profiling equally to Micah Parsons.

3. Arizona Cardinals (3-14): Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Just like the Jets a decide earlier, the Cardinals are dealing with an enormous determination at quarterback which is able to clearly impression how they use this choice. New head coach Mike LaFleur may very nicely push to spice up the trenches together with his first decide. Arizona was pushed round quite a bit within the NFC West throughout Jonathan Gannon’s tenure, with the Cardinals ending 3-15 within the division. Time spent with the 49ers and Rams’ dynamic offenses, nevertheless, will give him an appreciation of true star energy on the ability positions and GM Monti Ossenfort may very well be feeling some stress. For my part, the hole between Love and the remainder of this yr’s operating again class isn’t fairly as steep because the one separating Mendoza at quarterback, however it’s comparable. Love is true there with Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott and Todd Gurley as the highest operating again abilities I’ve evaluated over the previous 25 years.

Jeremiyah Love is likely one of the higher operating again prospects to enter the draft this century. (Photograph by Eakin Howard/Getty Photographs)

4. Tennessee Titans (3-14): Sonny Types, LB, Ohio State Talking of the NFC West and speedy impression rookies, Types’ match because the centerpiece of Robert Saleh’s protection in Tennessee is an enchanting one. Like former teammate Arvell Reese, Types is an athletic phenom who's steadily improved over his school profession and has straightforward traits to undertaking to the subsequent degree. It isn’t a tough argument to make that plugging him right into a protection that already boasts All-Professional Jeffery Simmons is the quickest means for the Titans to advance within the AFC South.

5. New York Giants (4-13): Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami Just like the aforementioned Titans, I feel the Giants’ draft picks are going to be a direct reflection of their new head coach. Few gamers on this draft strike me as a cleaner match for John Harbaugh than Mauigoa, an enormous and mauling three-year standout who ranks because the cleanest plug-and-play offensive lineman of this class. With present proper deal with Jermaine Eluemanor (31) a free agent, the Giants can be sensible to construct round Jaxson Dart by making their safety of him prime precedence.

6. Cleveland Browns (5-12): Spencer Fano, OT, Utah If John Harbaugh does, certainly, take the primary blocker off the board a decide earlier, don’t be stunned if his former offensive coordinator Todd Monken follows swimsuit a decide later. Whether or not it is Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson or anybody else beginning at quarterback for the Browns subsequent season, addressing an offensive line that surrendered 51 sacks will probably be a precedence — particularly with four-fifths of the first blocking unit for Cleveland scheduled totally free company. Fano is very large and nimble with beginning expertise at each left and proper deal with.

Nobody must remind Washington head coach Dan Quinn concerning the significance of defending quarterback Jayden Daniels, and one of the best ways of doing that with this decide could be to bolster a receiving corps that, frankly, didn’t dwell as much as expectations. Massive and easy, Tate would add a dynamic downfield presence so as to add some vitality to a gaggle of pass-catchers overly reliant on 30-year-old Terry McLaurin as Deebo Samuel and Zach Ertz head to free company.

8. New Orleans Saints (6-11): Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami With iconic gamers like Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis and Taysom Hill amongst 18 unrestricted free brokers this yr for the Saints, the roster set by head coach Kellen Moore may look a lot completely different in his second season in Baton Rouge than his first. If Moore and longtime New Orleans GM Mickey Loomis totally decide to rebuilding this roster, Bain performs with the physicality and mentality of a franchise anchor.

It has been gone time for the Saints to explode their roster and construct round youthful gamers. (Photograph by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs)

9. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (6-11): Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Safeties — not less than the normal "field" safeties of yesteryear — are merely not as valued in at this time’s passer-friendly league that penalizes most of the bone-crunching hits which used to dominate the center of the sector. Downs does a lot greater than deal with, nevertheless. Including his instincts and playmaking abilities to an already gifted Chiefs secondary is a brilliant technique given all of the quarterback expertise within the AFC West. Of notice, if the draft had been to play out as I've it projected, Downs can be the fourth Buckeye chosen among the many prime 10 — an unprecedented quantity in NFL draft historical past.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (5-12): David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech With their star quarterback wholesome and all three AFC North divisional opponents that includes solely new teaching staffs, the Bengals may discover themselves in an thrilling place to springboard from holding a top-10 decide to potential divisional winner a yr from now. At 6-foot-3, 250 kilos, Bailey doesn’t match the measureables Duke Tobin has most well-liked previously. however he’s this yr’s prime pass-rusher.

11. Miami Dolphins (7-10): Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee The Dolphins look like contemplating an entire rebuild. It already began among the many decision-makers, after all, with the hiring of latest normal supervisor Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley. However there will probably be loads of adjustments on the roster, as nicely, with the duo inheriting a membership with 29 present unrestricted free brokers (together with six cornerbacks), in addition to an enormous determination on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. McCoy is considered by many scouts as the highest nook of this class and a prime 20 candidate, regardless of lacking all the 2025 season recovering from a torn ACL.

12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1): Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Even previous to the shocking late-season launch of former All-Professional Trevon Diggs, the Cowboys had been doubtless trying onerous at this yr’s high quality cornerback crop, because the membership has three others (Corey Ballentine, Reddy Stewart and CJ Goodwin) getting into free company. Delane would match proper in with Dallas’ present prime cornerback DaRon Bland, as he's a pure ballhawk who recorded 27 go breakups, in addition to eight interceptions (and 4 pressured fumbles) over his collegiate profession.

The Rams had been only some performs away from taking part in in Tremendous Bowl LX, and with an additional decide acquired a yr in the past from Atlanta, I anticipate normal supervisor Les Snead to assault this draft in an effort to erase no matter hole there's between his membership and Seattle's. Including Lemon — the 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner because the nation’s prime wideout — to a receiver rotation that already boasts Puka Nacua and Davante Adams could be all of the motivation Matthew Stafford may have to play a couple of extra years.

The wealthy may get richer if the Rams add one other elite wideout early within the draft. (Photograph by Harry How/Getty Photographs)

14. Baltimore Ravens (8-9): Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M Bringing again Jesse Minter to the Ravens is a robust indication that Baltimore is able to recommit to its once-proud protection. Lengthy recognized for his or her protection all through the John Harbaugh period, the Ravens stumbled to a tie for thirtieth within the NFL in quarterback sacks in 2025. Final yr’s prized rookie Mike Inexperienced generated simply 3.5 sacks and the membership was led by Travis Jones’ 5 QB takedowns. Howell is explosive upfield and in addition agile sufficient to drop into protection. His versatility and depth make him an intriguing match for a protection needing a little bit of each to kick off Minter’s return.

There may be loads of blame to go round for the Bucs’ late-season collapse, however a pedestrian go rush that featured simply two defenders producing greater than 3.5 sacks actually performed a task. With "simply" two sacks of his personal in 2025, Faulk may look like a poor option to complement Tampa Bay’s roster, however scouts are enamored with the 20-year-old’s size, power and upside.

On condition that he recorded 41 of them over an excellent 15-year taking part in profession, Aaron Glenn should discover it infuriating that his New York Jets didn't document a single interception all season lengthy. Groups usually tackle the personalities of their head coach; if that's going to be the case with the Jets, including some playmaking chops to the secondary must be a precedence. Hood is an ascending expertise who excels in man protection, turning heads final week on the Senior Bowl and at Tennessee in 2025, the place he registered a career-high eight go breakups.

17. Detroit Lions (9-8): Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia The magic in Motown didn’t solely run out in 2025, however it did age. The identical offensive line that dominated the previous few seasons confirmed cracks with longtime left deal with Taylor Decker lacking a number of begins for the third consecutive season. The Lions may save roughly $22 million in cap area by transferring on from Decker, who turns 33 in August. With a body and sport much like Decker, Freeling may very well be a youthful, cheaper choice to reset Detroit’s entrance.

18. Minnesota Vikings (9-8): CJ Allen, LB, Georgia The Vikings are reportedly paying defensive coordinator Brian Flores $6 million per yr, making him the highest-paid assistant coach in NFL historical past. The huge wage suggests Flores may also have a larger say in personnel. The second degree of the Vikings' protection is lacking a real alpha with the pace, physicality and instincts to star as an every-down linebacker. Allen can be a terrific slot in Flores’ system.

19. Carolina Panthers (8-9): Kevin "KC" Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M For pretty much as good as Bryce Younger and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Yr Tetairoa McMillan proved to be of their first yr collectively, one has to marvel if there isn’t much more "meat on the bone" for the Panthers to get pleasure from with a second dependable playmaker added to the equation. Concepcion’s electrical pace and elusiveness may very well be the right complement to T-Mac, in addition to present some spark to a return unit that has produced only one TD over the previous eight years.

No rookie is prone to change Micah Parsons, however the Cowboys are usually not unlikely to go away the primary spherical of this draft with out boosting their edge rushers. Jacas led the Massive Ten with 11 sacks within the common season and carried that momentum into Cellular, Ala., the place he was this yr’s prime pass-rusher on the Senior Bowl. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Jacas is athletic and technically sound, and better of all, he’s as confirmed because it will get with 27 sacks and 7 pressured fumbles in his school profession.

Will the Cowboys goal a Micah Parsons alternative with one in all their two first-round picks? (Photograph by James Black/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs)

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7): Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Mike McCarthy actually sounded wanting to reunite with Aaron Rodgers. If that's going to be the case, Pittsburgh actually ought to spend money on one other playmaking receiver able to starring towards single protection as defenses focus a lot consideration on the imposing DK Metcalf. Tyson has the sharp change of route and dependable palms to rapidly earn the belief of Rodgers — or whoever is taking part in quarterback for the Steelers in 2026.

Together with demise and taxes, Jim Harbaugh investing alongside the road of scrimmage is likely one of the uncommon certainties in life. Whereas defending Justin Herbert with blockers would appear to make sense, I feel the Chargers are planning for more healthy our bodies alongside the offensive line, not new ones. Pardon the puns, however Banks made a variety of cents with a flashy efficiency on the Senior Bowl, wowing scouts together with his mixture of measurement, energy and mobility.

23. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6): Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama With among the best rosters within the NFL, the Eagles may go in a wide range of instructions with this decide, but when a proficient large man like Proctor had been nonetheless on the board, I've to assume normal supervisor Howie Roseman would think about him as a potential insurance coverage coverage towards Lane Johnson retiring. The Eagles have been prepared to gamble on elite traits previously, and the power-packed 6-foot-7, 366-pound Proctor has loads of these. It's price noting that each snap of his three years at Alabama had been at left deal with, however scouts are cut up as to the place he’ll match finest within the NFL. At minimal, he’d present a direct enhance to a sagging Tush Push.

The Eagles' getting older offensive line could be due for some reinforcements. (Photograph by Butch Dill/Getty Photographs)

It gained’t a lot matter which of the quarterbacks on Cleveland’s roster is beginning Week 1 for Todd Monken if the Browns don’t discover some difference-makers at receiver. Jerry Jeudy led all Cleveland wideouts this previous season in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns — fairly the accomplishment till you notice that he caught simply 50 passes for 602 yards and two scores, manufacturing that might qualify for third or fourth on most NFL groups. I’m not satisfied the Browns don’t want a number of receivers out of this draft, however the 6-foot-4, 209-pound Boston can be a terrific begin. Boston isn’t probably the most explosive athlete of this yr’s receiver crop, however he’s a jump-ball dynamo with spectacular physique management, together with quickness, flexibility and robust palms.

25. Chicago Bears (11-6): Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon The defensive backs are a relative power of this yr’s rookie class, and I anticipate Chicago to be among the many groups to take full benefit of that reality. In spite of everything, the Bears completed twenty ninth within the NFL with 31 passing touchdowns allowed. And with eight defensive backs on the roster set to hit free company — together with beginning safeties Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker — GM Ryan Poles has an opportunity to reset the Chicago secondary. Thieneman is a private favourite. He’s instinctive, versatile and a pure playmaker with 10 turnovers pressured over three years at Oregon and Purdue.

26. Buffalo Payments (12-5): Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech One of many underlying causes for Sean McDermott’s dismissal in Buffalo was his defenses’ incapability to decelerate opposing operating video games. Buffalo completed the common season ranked twenty eighth in in speeding yards allowed (136.2 per sport) and surrendered a league-high speeding 24 touchdowns. Hunter is a wide-bodied run plugger with spectacular quickness and agility. Reinforcing the Payments’ present entrance with each Hunter and a wholesome Ed Oliver would drastically stiffen the run protection.

Nobody wants to inform normal supervisor John Lynch (or 49er followers) that latest video games towards the Seahawks might need appeared quite a bit completely different had San Francisco boasted its full and wholesome roster. A novel weapon just like the 6-foot-3, 240-pound bowling ball that's Sadiq would give Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan a variety of choices, particularly with 32-year-old George Kittle coming off an Achilles tear.

28. Houston Texans (12-5): Olaivavega "Vega" Ioane, OG, Penn State The Texans ought to aggressively assault this offseason to make it possible for CJ Stroud’s disappointing third yr within the NFL is not his new regular. Particularly, the Texans should proceed including to their offensive line. The highly effective and passionate Ioane is the highest inside blocker of this class. Plugging him at left guard would permit the Texans to maneuver Tytus Howard again exterior to proper deal with, upgrading two positions directly.

29. Los Angeles Rams (12-5): Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson Having used their first decide on an explosive playmaker to assist Matthew Stafford and the offense, GM Les Snead will probably be trying to fill a necessity right here. The Rams have 4 cornerbacks set to hit free company, together with starter Cobie Durant in addition to major nickelbacks Derion Kendrick and Roger McCreary. Snead and Sean McVay have valued grit and playmaking means over measurement at cornerback, and Terrell, an NFL legacy who led the ACC this yr with 5 pressured fumbles, actually has these traits.

30. Denver Broncos (14-3): Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh With beginning linebackers Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton set totally free company, do not be stunned if the Broncos goal a linebacker (or two) early on this draft. Deciding on Louis right here may flip some heads, nevertheless. Whereas maybe a couple of inches and kilos smaller than scouts would favor, Louis is a dynamic athlete with the mobility to excel in protection and the burst to be an actual issue on blitzes.

The Broncos boast one of many NFL's finest defenses — and will look to make it even stronger on Day 1 of the draft. (Photograph by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs)

For all of the speak about Drake Maye and the Patriots’ protection, reaching the Tremendous Bowl with two rookies manning the left aspect of the offensive line is really a exceptional achievement and a testomony to each offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and offensive line coach Doug Marrone. Morgan Moses was arguably New England’s finest blocker in 2025, however he’ll be 35 in March. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound Miller has an upright stance that may irk some coaches, however he performs with good steadiness and energy, capably locking down proper deal with the previous 4 years at Clemson.

32. Seattle Seahawks (14-3): Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina The Seahawks have 4 key defensive backs set to hit free company: cornerbacks Tariq Woolen and Josh Jobe and safeties Coby Bryant and Ty Okada. As talked about beforehand, defensive again is one in all this yr’s strongest positional teams. Among the many youngest gamers on this class at simply 20 years outdated, Cisse (pronounced Sea-say) jumped into the draft after only one season as a starter at South Carolina, following a switch from NC State. He’s already proven NFL-caliber athleticism and competitiveness, however he’s nonetheless guessing at occasions in protection, getting by together with his athletic instruments. There are safer prospects accessible, however Cisse may very well be a star within the making — particularly if plugged right into a protection akin to Seattle’s.